Sue Williams – Elizabeth and Elizabeth (Literature Review)

We’ve all heard the story of the First Fleet and early colonisation in Australia. At least from the male perspective. It’s been the subject of many a book – both non-fiction and fiction, revealing further insight into Australian history with each publication.

With her debut fiction novel, Elizabeth and Elizabeth Australian author Sue Williams adds to that insight. But unlike a lot of books focusing on the founding days of Sydney and New South Wales, Elizabeth and Elizabeth is told through the perspectives of two females: Elizabeth Macquarie and Elizabeth McArthur – the first being the second wife of Governor Lachlan Macquarie while the latter is the wife of traitor John McArthur – a man who was instrumental in the mutiny of Macquarie’s predecessor Governor Bligh.

When Elizabeth McArthur meets Betsey Macquarie, she’s not certain they should be friends. Left running her family’s property while her traitor husband returns to England to defend his actions against former Governor Bligh, she is strong and formidable while Betsey seems naïve and a little untrustworthy.

But as time goes by, the pair find themselves uniting against the harshness of the environment they find themselves in, and the men who want to keep them in their places. From the twelve years they spend together in the colony sparks a friendship that will leave a formidable legacy.

And while Elizabeth and Elizabeth is mainly focused on the white women’s perspective of colonisation. It does not, however, shy away from the darker side of colonisation/invasion. This is something that is enlightening in a historical fiction book based in early Australia, discussing these issues with sensitivity and awareness of the deep divide between white and Indigenous perspectives of those early days.

Elizabeth and Elizabeth are an enjoyable and fascinating novel. Written like the journals of both women, it feels intimate – like we are really getting to know the secrets behind what we all learnt in school, further enriching the history of Australia. From start to finish, it’s an immersive engaging read that captivated me so much that I didn’t want it to end.

If you’re looking for a historical fiction novel that offers a different perspective on Australian history, or just enjoy the genre, Elizabeth and Elizabeth is the novel for you.

Elizabeth and Elizabeth by Sue Williams is out now through Allen & Unwin.

This review is a continuation of my series, Spotlight on Australian Authors. Click the image below to read previous reviews and interviews.

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